Daniels has inked a multi-year deal with Twentieth Century Fox that not only solidifies his position as executive producer of the hit show Empire, but also allows him to begin writing, directing and supervising other projects for the television company.

Under the agreement, new projects would fly under the Lee Daniels Entertainment banner, and who can blame Fox for wanting more from Daniels, after Empire‘s rise to the top of the charts?

Air travelers across Africa are facing long delays after a huge fire ripped through the main airport in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, forcing its closure.

Hundreds of passengers have been left stranded outside Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

It has reopened for cargo and domestic services, though many flights have been diverted to other regional airports.

The Kenyan authorities say no casualties have been reported and that the blaze has been contained.

The cause of the fire is not yet known. Security officials say they are waiting to inspect the damage before drawing any conclusions.

However, correspondents say the airport is old and overcrowded.

Kenya’s anti-terrorism chief, Boniface Mwaniki, said he did not believe the fire – which happened on the 15th anniversary of the bombings by al-Qaeda of the US embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania – was connected to terrorism.

“We don’t want to speculate, but at this stage we do not think there is any such link,” he told the Reuters news agency.

‘Slow response’

The fire started in the airport’s international arrivals and immigration area at around 05:00 (02:00 GMT) and spread quickly. Dark smoke was seen billowing into the sky above Nairobi as the blaze took hold.

Passengers arriving on international flights – some still in their seats – reported hearing explosions from the terminal building.

“When I arrived there were one or two fire engines parked outside the international arrivals. It spread very fast,” British passenger, Martyn Collbeck, told the Associated Press. “I would have expected more fire engines to respond faster.”

Fire engines battled through Nairobi’s infamous traffic jams to reach the airport. Witnesses said some did not arrive until one or two hours after the fire began. Many fire engines also quickly ran out of water.

It took about four hours to bring the fire under control, by which time the arrivals hall had been gutted. There were no immediate reports of any deaths of serious injuries, although two people were treated for smoke inhalation.

International flights carrying business travelers and tourists were initially diverted to the southern coastal city of Mombasa.

Later, flights were also diverted to Eldoret in the north-west and Kisumu in the west, as well as Dar es Salaam, and Entebbe in Uganda. Passengers faced bus journeys of hundreds of miles to reach Nairobi.

Passengers outside the airport said they had been stranded with no information, reports the BBC’s Emmanuel Igunza at the airport.

“This is too much. It was very nice here but this is just a mess,” said Medr Gudru, a German tourist who had hoped to fly home on Wednesday.

“The airlines are working to assist stranded passengers and advise them on the measures being put in place to resume services at JKIA,” said Stephen Gichuki, director of the Kenyan Airports Authority (KAA).

On Wednesday afternoon, almost 12 hours after the fire began, government officials said the airport had reopened for domestic and cargo flights.

Kenya Airways said a flight to Mombasa was expected to depart at 19:00, the Daily Nation newspaper reported.

Cabinet Secretary for Transport Michael Kamau told reporters that the authorities would begin preparing the small domestic terminal for handling international departures and arrivals.

“We started pitching tents on the airside for handling departing passengers,” he added.

President Uhuru Kenyatta – whose father the airport is named after – has toured the remains of the international arrivals hall to see the damage. The building was gutted by the fire and the roof has partially collapsed. The floor is covered in debris and water.

‘Disastrous’

The airport is a regional hub and a vital part of Kenya’s tourism industry, reports BBC Africa correspondent Andrew Harding in Johannesburg.

“President Kenyatta wishes to reassure the entire aviation industry, investors, local and international travelers that everything is being done to resume normal operations,” presidential spokesman Manoah Esipisu said.

A third of Europe’s flower imports, and many fresh vegetables, also come from Kenya.

Shares in Kenya Airways, which uses the airport as its main hub, fell 2% after the fire.

Foreign airlines which use the terminal include British Airways, Emirates, Qatar Airways, KLM, Turkish Airways, South African Airways and Ethiopian Airways. Several cancelled flights to Nairobi on Wednesday.

Kenya Airways said flights from London and Bangkok would land as scheduled in Nairobi on Thursday morning, according to Reuters.

British Airways said it was in contact with the authorities to provide customers due to travel with as much information and notice as possible.

by Josie Pickens, Ebony

IN THE LONG TERM, RELATIONSHIP INTIMACY DOESN’T TAKE CARE OF ITSELF. FIND OUT HOW TO GIVE A LITTLE PASSION TO GET A LITTLE PASSION

Carol, an old friend, began to rush our conversation along as she spoke to me about love and how she’s managed to remain happily married for over 10 years. “It’s date night,” she said hurriedly. “It’s our thing.”

Since they were college sweethearts, Carol and her husband have worked to spend at least two Fridays a month out on the town enjoying each other’s company. She reminds me that these types of rituals are what keep relationships alive and interesting, and it’s the advice she gives to other couples trying to rekindle the fire in their love lives.

“Never stop dating,” Carol argues. “As much as we’ve been able to—outside of raising kids, steering careers and having our moments of disagreement—we commit to this time together. It gives us something to look forward to.” Carol and her husband have the right idea. Creating rituals that both partners agree to, and work diligently towards, make love, sex and passion a focused priority.

Carol and a few other happily coupled folk shared how they keep the passion alive in their relationships. In addition to the advice above, here are three more ways to keep things hot, or “get that old thing back” in relationships.

1. Never stop flirting. Shauna sends her boyfriend Phil flirtatious texts and emails while he’s at work. Along with pics that tease him just a bit, she also remembers to compliment him.

“I tell him how sexy he is before he leaves for work, or sometimes randomly during the day,” she says. “I figure if I don’t, someone else will. And complimenting him excites me too.”

One may be amazed at what a few bats of the eyes or a red pout may do to kick-start some awesome loving. When I’m out on dates, I enjoy gently running my fingers up and down my dates hands and the insides of his wrists. I also love to play footsie. And fellas must practice flirting as well. Remember to tell your lady she’s beautiful. Surprise her by grabbing her hand as you walk casually through the grocery store. Whisper in her ear and make her blush. It truly is the little things that keep love fresh, and we should always continue doing those things that made us fall in love in the first place.

2. Sex(y) yourself up. “I’d just become frumpy, to be honest,” Nicole say about how the passion and regular sex left her relationship with Michael. “After the baby was born, the lingerie got pushed to the back of the underwear drawer. Even though Michael loved my body after I gave birth, I wasn’t comfortable with how it had changed, so I just started wearing sweats or extra-large T-shirts all the time. Eventually he stopped trying, and his lack of desire made me feel even more self-conscious.”

Nicole asked me a few months ago how I keep my “sexy” while being a single mom, because she was struggling to feel sexy at all (even with full-time parenting help from her husband). I told her that all of the rituals many women learn to perform for others, I choose to do for myself. I take time, each day, to moisturize from head to toe when I exit the shower. I experiment with makeup and fashion. I don’t reserve lingerie for when I’m not sleeping alone. I also spend a great bit of time in front of a full-length mirror.

Our bodies change as we age, have children, become stressed, and more. We’ll never learn to love them and see our beauty if we won’t even look at them without shame. I firmly believe that the passion we seek begins within, and I commit to being sexy with and for myself first.

3. Initiate the change you want to see. Tosh admits he spent a lot of time complaining about how the intimacy in his relationship with Kaya had fallen off. “I guess as men we’re just taught that we have to grin and bare it when we’re not satisfied in relationships. There’s also the assumption that the only intimacy men want is sex. I didn’t know how to communicate what I wanted to her, and I found myself beginning to look around for something else.”

To remedy what had becoming a wondering eye, Tosh began gently initiating the intimacy he wanted, and communicating his feelings about what had gone missing. “I also asked her how I could make her happier, satisfy her more. I made her the focus instead of myself, and she was much more open to the intimacy I’d been craving.”

We have to workto be the partners we wish for, because we often get exactly what we give in life, especially in love. True commitment means learning the difference between self-care and selfishness. We should communicate our desires while offering our partners a bit of

the compassion and tenderness we seek ourselves.

These are but a few ways we can reignite the flames of our love, passion and intimacy. How do you keep the passion alive in your relationship? How have you reignited your love’s flame? Sound off!

This coming Sunday, January 13, our Church celebrates the Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. Our Gospel reading comes from Luke 3: 15-16, 21-22. John explains that someone mightier than he will come after him, someone who will not only baptize with water but with “the Holy Spirit and fire.”

John set the stage and Jesus came. A voice from heaven said: “You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased.” And all of us who have been baptized should also hear the same wonderful affirmation–we are now sons and daughters of a good and gracious God.

In our Church, and maybe in others, the baptismal rite includes emersion or pouring of water on the head of the newly baptized.

Immediately after the water rite, we take oil infused with balsam, which has been blessed by the bishop, and anoint the head of the one being baptized. A white robe and candle are then given to the person.

This Sacrament, for us, is the Sacrament of Initiation, which includes the Sacrament of the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Confirmation.

After the emersion and anointing with the Oil of Chrism, the priest or deacon prays over the newly baptized and reminds them and all listening that they are now a “priest, prophet and servant leader.” This is an awesome vocation that we have.

We are called to priestly, prophetic and servant leadership in the congregation and in the world. And no one understood this tremendous vocation more than Martin Luther King. He reminds us: “I happen to be a minister of the gospel…and in that capacity I have not merely a priestly function but also a prophetic function.”

We know from experience that it is much easier to stress worship and prayer, the priestly functions, of being a Christian than it is to be truly prophetic.

We can pray and worship in a beautiful sanctuary and sort of forget that we are prophets and servant leaders also. The world and it selfishness, racism, sexism, poverty, and violence are the places we need to be.

We are not only concerned with a person’s soul, but the whole person. It is our task, essential for a Christian, to be involved in making peace and social justice a reality here and now. That is messy, I know. It is much easier to åstay in church, right?

The Church is here to bring good news to those who are waiting to hear it. Our baptismal calling urges us to bring God’s healing presence wherever there is brokenness and pain, poverty and violence.

We Christians have an awesome vocation, if we are welling to live it. Come and worship with us any Sunday at 8 or 10:30 AM, at 4051 N. 25th Street.

Compiled by MCJ Staff Just as they were quick to condemn the Fire and Police Commission, two city aldermen were just as quick to praise it for reversing an earlier ruling that reinstated a Milwaukee Police officer fired for hitting a handcuffed Northside woman repeatedly in the face. Police officer Richard Schoen again finds himself out of a job and possibly facing criminal charges after the commission decided to uphold the original decision of Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn to fire Schoen for assaulting Jeanine Tracy in the back of a squad car while in the parking lot of the District 7 police station in September of last year. The commission reversal comes a week after their initial ruling touched off a firestorm of criticism from community and political leaders who called for the overhaul or dismantling of the commission that oversees and disciplines members of the city’s fire and police departments and their respective leadership. “The Commission did the right thing when it chose to review the decision regarding Officer Schoen,” said Ald. Milele Coggs in a statement released after the ruling. Coggs, who last week called for either the restructure or elimination of the Commission and the laws governing its existence, noted the Commission discovered during its reevaluation that state law and Commission rules call for them to give greater weight to the chief’s original determination to fire the officer. “They continued their deliberations with the revised information and concluded that Officer Schoen should be fired,” Coggs said. “I applaud the Commission for doing the right thing for the right reasons. Now we have to help the city move forward and improve our police-community relations.” Coggs suggested the Milwaukee County District Attorney take a fresh look at the case of Officer Schoen and explore the possibility of charges. Common Council President Willie Hines, Jr. said the Commissions reversal not only holds Schoen accountable, but gives the community something to hope for. “When officers get it right, we must applaud them,” said Hines in a statement. “When officers exercise the kind of brutal disregard for regulations and human well-being displayed by Officer Schoen they must be held accountable. “This ensures the protection of our citizens’ most basic rights, as well as the ability of the rule-abiding, vast majority of police officers to ensure residents safety. “It is my sincere hope that this is only the beginning of a bigger movement toward accountability and transparency in our Milwaukee Police Department.”

For the first time in its 127-year history, the Fire and Police Commission reversed a decision and has unanimously agreed to permanently terminate Police Officer Richard Schoen for the over use of force against Jeanine Tracy.

Credit for that reversal is being given to a number of community based organizations for rising up against police brutality during a Commission meeting last Thursday.

Many community and political observers believe if Occupy the Hood, Uran Underground, ABE (All Black Everything) and Milwaukee County Supervisor David Bowen did not stand up to demand change there would have been no justice and public safety would still be at-risk.

“This is a win for the people of this community who want better, for the good police officers who are really here to protect and serve all residents with respect and dignity and for the young people who are willing to continue the fight for what is right and to challenge the public officials to represent us better,” said 10th District Milwaukee County Supervisor David Bowen.

“The days of failed leadership and protecting mediocrity are over, and the times of a promising future in Milwaukee are coming. To ensure this, we must be willing to demand it.”

Bowen is unmoved by criticism by public officials within the city who accuse him of “dipping” into city business.

“Any issue that impacts the public safety and well-being of my constituents is my business,” said Bowen in a statement.

“It is my responsibility to stand when other public officials do not step up to make change with the power they have. I encourage my colleagues to do the same.”

Despite the Commission’s reversal of its earlier decision to reinstate Richard Schoen after he was fired by Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn, Bowen still believes the members of the Commission should be removed and replaced with individuals who will vote in the interest of the community, public safety and the law, and not in favor of the pattern of corrupt officers who claim they are responsible for protecting and serving the public.

Bowen said the coalition of organizations involved in the Commission reversal has expanded and now includes more organizations and citizens who are committed to demand justice.

Bowen believes there are many more reforms of the Commission that can be acted upon by city officials, such as a public vetting process (see story below right) to engage residents on the requirements and selection for potential Fire and Police Commissioners.

Instead of the mayor privately picking favorties who don’t represent Milwaukee’s demographics, Bowen said the Commission should reflect the near 22 percent of residents, ages 18 to 35, who make-up this community.

We hear the community’s concerns about the membership of the Fire and Police Commission, and we are seeking greater inclusiveness and transparency in the selection of Commission members.

By state statute, the task of appointing members of the Commission rests with the Mayor, and each of those appointments is subject to confirmation by the Common Council. Currently, there are two vacancies on the seven-member Commission, and we are seeking a community vetting process for these appointments.

To be clear, we will not support any Commission candidate who does not go through a public vetting process. Also, we are supporting possible changes to the current process that would allow the public to submit the names of potential Commission appointees. We have suggestions about how agencies/community partners could be involved as well.

We believe a more inclusive process is needed so that the Fire and Police Commission more closely mirrors our diverse community, and we are hopeful that we can see positive change that will move our city forward.

Compiled by MCJ Staff Mayor Tom Barrett joined two Milwaukee Aldermen in condemning the decision by the Fire and Police Commission to reinstate a Milwaukee Police officer after being fired by Chief Edward Flynn for excessive use of force. The commission panel rescinded the firing and gave Schoen, who had appealed his firing, a 60-day suspension. MPD Officer Richard Schoen was fired by Flynn for punching a woman in the face while she was handcuffed in the back of a squad car in the District 7 police station garage after a traffic stop September 22, 2011. Schoen is reportedly seen on the squad car’s dashboard camera punching the woman, Jeanine Tracy. He is then seen dragging Tracy out of the squad care by her hair. In a press statement, the mayor strongly disagreed with the Fire and Police Commission’s decision. “I believe the action the panel took sends the entirely wrong message to members of the police department and to the community,” Barrett said. “In an interview following the hearing Officer Schoen stated, ‘I still feel I was somewhat justified.’ Obviously, Officer Schoen did not get the message the 60 day suspension was intended to deliver.” Saying she may not agree with Chief Flynn on everything, Alderman Coggs believed the chief was right when he chose to fire Schoen. She was critical of the commission, questioning whether or not it was the appropriate body to make disciplinary decisions about police officers. “Our commission is the only one structured like it in the nation,” Coggs said. “I believe it is out of tune with the community.” Coggs noted out of approximately 300 citizen complaints filed with the Fire and Police Commission against Milwaukee officers last year, only one resulted in disciplinary action against an officer. “I believe it may be time to either restructure or eliminate the commission, and the laws that govern its existence.” Council President Hines said Schoen’s reinstatement sets a dangerous precedent. “Police officers are not above the law and must be held accountable for their actions,” said Hines in a statement. “By terminating Officer Schoen, Chief Flynn had demonstrated just that. “The Fire and Police Commission decision to reinstate Officer Schoen sends a frightening message to the community and sets a dangerous precedent for the Milwaukee Police Department, and should absolutely be corrected.”

Energizer and International Association of Fire Chiefs Honor Silver Anniversary with Adoption of 25 Fire Departments and Donation of 250,000 Batteries across the Country

St. Louis – The message is simple, and the habit can be lifesaving. Thirty-eight percent of fatal fire injuries occur in homes without working smoke alarms, while 24 percent occur in homes in which at least one smoke alarm is present but fails to operate, frequently due to dead or missing batteries.* For 25 years, the Change Your Clock Change Your Battery® program has been dedicated to helping share the life-saving reminder to change the batteries in your home’s smoke and carbon monoxide detectors when you change your clocks for daylight savings.
This year, Energizer and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) will mark the silver anniversary of one of the nation’s top home fire safety programs by donating 250,000 Energizer® MAX® batteries to fire departments across the country to distribute to local families in their areas and adopting 25 fire departments in 25 cities across the nation, who, in addition to batteries, will be equipped with a variety Energizer® family safety products for their department and to share in their communities. Together, they will host Home Safety Days and neighborhood canvasses spanning throughout National Fire Prevention Month in October until the end of daylight saving time on Sunday, Nov. 4.
“In the past 25 years, the number of home fire deaths has substantially decreased,” said Chief Hank Clemmensen, IAFC president and chairman of the board. “That success is mostly thanks to the thousands of hours—every year for 25 years—that local fire departments have dedicated to improving the safety environment through technology, policy and, especially, public education efforts like the Change Your Clock Change Your Battery® program. But the world does not stand still, local fire department budgets are shrinking, many people still don’t have a basic baseline of protection from smoke alarms, and we must keep pace with changes in technology and the built environment, It’s still vital that homes be equipped with working smoke detectors in order to give families those critical extra seconds to escape.”
There are currently 23 million homes at risk of a fire because—although they have smoke alarms—the alarms are not functioning, mostly due to dead or missing batteries. Sharing the reminder to Change Your Clock Change Your Battery® is a simple way to help protect neighbors and loved ones.
“We began the Change Your Clock Change Your Battery® program with the IAFC 25 years ago to do our part in helping to keep families safe, “said Michelle Atkinson, Vice President of Marketing for Energizer North America. “Today it’s amazing to look back and see how the more than four million batteries donated through hundreds of neighborhood canvasses has translated to countless lives being saved. It’s another example of our philosophy of that’s positivenergy™ brought to life. We are grateful to the IAFC and local fire departments across the country for helping us share this message and make a positive impact.”
The 25th anniversary of Change Your Clock Change Your Battery® kicked off Oct. 1 in Chicago, where the Chicago Fire Department was joined by MLB Hall of Famer and that’s positivenergy™ Ambassador Cal Ripken, Jr. to honor the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire. The Energizer Bunny® Brigade recreated the scene of the O’Leary Barn, where by legend the fire started, and firefighters provided a fire safety demonstration for local students. Following, Ripken led the first of the neighborhood canvasses with fire officials in Southside Chicago who conducted fire safety inspections and surprised homeowners with Family Safety Kits, stocked with products designed to help keep homes safe including Kidde smoke detectors, Energizer® MAX® batteries and Energizer® Weatheready® flashlights.
The Change Your Clock Change Your Battery® program is just one of the ways Energizer brings to life the company’s commitment to making a positive impact in communities across the country. that’s positivenergy™
For more information, please visit energizer.com and facebook.com/energizerbunny.